Garment



May 5, 1942.

A. L. FLESH GARMENT Filed Dec. 27, 1940 Wz 41/25 2 M ATTORN EY I Patented May 5, 1942 GARMENT Alfred L. Flesh, Piqua, Ohio, assignor to The Atlas Underwear Company, Piqua, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 27,1940, Serial No. 371,911

5 Claims.

embodying the invention will be illustrated and described in detail.

At the present time, mens shorts are provided with fly openings between overlapping parts having free edges and ordinarily, the opening extends either vertically or slightly inclined to the vertical. With that arrangement, it is difficult, particularly in close fitting garments, to form the parts defining the opening in such manner that they will not separate as a result of sagging or becoming stretched. To overcome that objectionable feature, the parts have heretofore been commonly constructed with a wide overlap and, as a result, the distortion of the parts required when the opening is to be used is'so great as to cause discomfort to the wearer, as a result of the garment binding and cutting into his body. The usual result is that a compromise construction is adopted in which the parts of the fly may be separated without too much discomfort, but when the opening is not in use, the parts defining it do not lie snugly in place and, consequently, they detract from the appearance of the garment.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the provision of a garment of the type described which includes a fly of novel construction and, in the new garment, the parts of the fly lie in proper position without gaping or binding and the garment thus has a trim appearance. The parts, however, may be readily separated to provide the desired opening and they are so constructed that they yield freely for the purpose. The fly opening can thus be employed without discomfort and after such use, the parts immediately assume and remain in their original positions.

The desired results are obtained in the new garment by forming the fly of overlapping parts which have generally horizontal free edges lying at different elevations between the crotch and the topof the garment. Preferably, the major part of the garment is formed of material which is horizontally and circumferentially extensible type of material having a free edge which is resilient so that it may be stretched but quickly resumes its normal shape. The inner flap is made of a resilient material which preferably has strands of rubber incorporated in it and this flap may be stretched to a considerable extent without difficulty but tends to retain its unstretched condition. The inner flap extends down a substantial distance toward the crotch and, since it is resilient, it yields to form a pouch which performs the functions of a supporter.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation, with parts broken away, of one form of the new garment;

Figs. 2 and 3 are views similar to Fig. 1 of modified constructions; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The garment as illustrated in Fig. 1 includes front and back portions l0 and H which are connected together along the sides of the garment, either by vertical side seams l2 or by being cut from a single piece of tubular material. Preferably, both portions are formed of knitted material having wales extending vertically so that the portions are capable of horizontal or circumferential extension but do not yield in a vertical direction.

The parts are connected along their top edges to a waistband 13, which is preferably of elastic material but may, if desired, be formed of ordinary fabric and provided with a draw string or with elastic inserts, in accordance with common practise. The portions in and II have their lower edges cut away on curved lines to form leg openings l4 and the edges of the openings are finished with the usual hems l5 which may include elastic tapes IS. The back portion has a narrow end I! which extends through the crotch.

The lower middle part of the front portion is provided with a fly section which includes an outer flap l8 which is preferably made of a material which is stretchable horizontally but not vertically. If desired, the outer flap may extend upward to the waistband, as illustrated, or it may be of shorter length and connected to the remainder of the front portion by suitable seams.

on the line On either side of the outer flap are reinforcing and the fly section includes an outer flap of that bands l9, which extend from the waistband to the upper edges of the leg openings and resist stretching of the front section in the direction of their length. The outer flap has a free lower edge finished with a hem 20 and an elastic tape 2| stretchable in the direction of the length of the hem may be secured along the hem as for example, within the stitching 22 which is of the stretchable type. Such a tape resists stretching of the edge and tends to maintain it in position snugly against vthe body.

The inner flap 23 of the fly section lies between the members l9 and is secured thereto along its side edges. The flap has a free top edge finished with a hem 24 which, if desired, may be made of the same material employed in the portions I and H and is preferably stitched in place by extensible stitching 25 which may, if desired, enclose a length of elastic tape. The inner flap is connected to the narrow end portion ll of the back portion II by a seam 26 formed with stretchable stitching, and the lower end of the flap thus extends below the upper edges of the legopenings and portions 21 of the side edges of the flap define portions of the leg openings.

In the construction described, the inner flap is made of a material which is horizontally extensible and of substantial resilience. Various fabrics may be employed for the purpose, but I prefer to use a knitted fabric in which strands 28 of rubber have been incorporated, these strands extending horizontally in the garment. With this arrangement, the inner flap tends to remain in contracted condition but will yield to conform to the body. It extends far enough toward the crotch to provide a pouch and consequent support,and, when the fly opening is to be used, the top edge of the inner flap may be lowered and the lower edge of the top fiap raised to enlarge the opening.

The garment illustrated in Fig. 2 is similar in all respects to that shown in Fig. 1, except that the lower flap 29 is formed of a material which is stretchable vertically and the tape along the upper edge of the flap is ordinarily omitted. The material preferred for the flap is a knitted material having strands of rubber incorporated in it, those strands running vertically in the flap as used in the garment. With that arrang'ement, the flap fits comfortably and provides support and, in addition, after the free top edge has been moved out of its normal position to enlarge the fly opening and permit convenient use of the latter, release of the fly results in its returning at once to its normal condition.

The garment illustrated in Fig. 3 is similar to that shown in Fig. 2, except that the inner flap 30 is formed mainly of material containing rubber strands and stretchable vertically, but at its upper end, the flap contains an end section 3| which is formed of similar material but :having the rubber strands extending horizontally. The upper edge of this end section is finished with the usual hem 32 and, since the end section tends to contract in a horizontal direction, it insures that the upper edge of the lower flap will fit snugly against the body of the wearer at all times. The presence of the end section does not interfere with thenormal use of the'fly section,

since it can be extended as may be necessaryfor the purpose.

In all forms of the new garment, the construction of the fly by means of overlapping parts having substantially horizontal free edges makes it possible to construct those parts so that they do not become separated by stretching or sagging. At the same time, the fly may be employed for its intended purpose without difficulty, since the inner flap is made of highly resilient material which permits substantial distortion without discomfort. As the resilient inner flap is-attached at orle end to the back portion made of a material which is not extensible in a direction through the crotch and up the back of the garment and is secured along its lateral edges near the other end to the non-extensible reinforcing members, the flap forms a section which may yield to form a pouch which fits the wearer snugly and affords substantial support.

I claim:

1. A nether garment having leg openings which comprises front and back sections connected along the sides of the garment, a fly section at the lower middle part of the front section including upper and lower overlapping flap members having substantially horizontal free edges, said flap members being so disposed that the space between them and betweentheir free edges affords access to the inside of the lower front portion of the garment, the lower of said flap members being appreciably more elastic in a direction vertically of the garment than the upper flap member, and said lower flap member being connected to the central portion of the lower end of the back section and forming part of the leg openings, whereby the contractibility of the elastic lower flap member tends to maintain the leg openings contracted.

2. A nether garment having leg openings which comprises front and back sections connected along the sides of the garment, a fly section at the lower middle part of the front section including upper and lower overlapping flap members having substantially horizontal free edges, said flap members being so disposed that the space between them and between their free edges affords access to the inside of the lower front portion of the garment, the lower flap member having vertically extending elastic strands in corporated therein to make it appreciably more elastic in a direction vertically of the garment than the upper flap member, and the lower flap member being connected to the central portion of the lower end of the back section and forming a part of the leg opening, whereby the contractibility of the elastic flap member tends to maintain the leg openings contracted.

3. A nether garment having leg openings which comprises front and back sections connected along the sides of the garment, a fly section at the lower middle part of the front section including upper and lower overlapping flap members having substantially horizontal free edges, the lower portion of the upper flap member overlapping the upper portion of the lower flap member on the outside of the garment and the flap members being so disposed that the space between them and between their free edges'affords access to the inside of the lower front portion of the garment, the lower flap member having vertically extending, elastic strands incorporated therein making it more elastic in a direction vertically of the garment than the upper flap member, and the lower flap memberbeing connected to the central portion of the lower end of the back section and forming a part of the leg openings, whereby the contractibility of the outer flap member tends to maintain the leg openings contracted.

4. A nether garment having leg openings which comprises front and back sections connected along the sides of the garment, a panel in the front section extending downwardly from adjacent the waist and terminating at the lower middie part of the front of the garment in a horizontal free edge, and a section, elastic vertically of the garment, connected at one end to the central portion of the lower end of the back section, the other end at said vertically elastic section having a horizontal free edge positioned above the lower free edge of said panel so that ,the upper portion 01' said vertically elastic secgarment, a panel in the front section extending downwardly from adjacent the waist and terminating at the lower middle part 01' the front of 20 the garment in a horizontal free edge, and a section, elastic vertically of the garment, connected at one end to the central portion of the lower end of the back section, the other end of said vertically elastic section having a horizontal free edge positioned above the lower free edge of said panel so that the upper portion of saidvertically elastic section and the lower portion of said panel form a fly section for afiording access to the inside of the garment, the side edges of the uper portion'of the vertically elastic section and the lower portion of said panel being stitched together, and vertically extending reinforcing bands which resist vertical stretching of the front'section of the garment stitched to the side edges of the upper portion of said elastic section and the lower portion of said panel, and edge portions of said'vertically elastic section forming portions of the leg openings, whereby the contractibility of the vertically elastic section tends to maintain the leg openings contracted.

' ALFRED L. FLESH; 

